The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-06
LABOR INTERESTS.

The Dissension Among the knights Makes
Itself Folt at Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA. Dec. 5.-Tbe provisional COM
mittee OF Philadelphia. representing the knights
of Labor in this city and former Knights, inclui-
ing the expelled carpet workers. who dissnt-
isied with the general management of the order,
have issued circular No. to the rank and file OF
the order of the Knights of Labor and others.
After asserting that abuses have creps into the
administration of affairs through ring which,
by the most questionable means, has got con-
troll Of the order. it announces the necessity for
the reconstruction of the machinery of the
order while holding fast to its principles, and
then proceeds TO lay down certain rules for the
reformation. The methods suggested for effect
ing purifcatiop include the strict preservation
OF the autonomy of trades; limitation Of the
the powers of the general officers making
them advisory or supervisory; avoidance of
strikes by invoking the law; the abolition OF
salaried officers, and OF no payments except for
services actually rendered: discouragement of
extravagance prohibition of peddline, hawk
ing soliciting in the local assemblies. except
in the of q call from the general officers for
assistance prevention of soliciting election
eering for Office in the assemblies; prom oton of
education; free discussion of matters of inter-
est and i'm nortance to labor; encouragement OF
political action to enforce the principles of the
order, and the discouraeement of personal poll
tics having for their object the advancement Of
individuals.
General Master Workman Powderly WAS not
at the kDlghtS or LABOR headquarters to-day.
General Secretary Litchrnan said. in regard to
the circular of the provisional committee, thxt
''it vas unsigned. and that nobody would pay
any sttenuoa To such q document" he added:
sIf the men who are at the head OF this more
nenr were delegates to the General Assembly,
they know that the general e xecutive board was
in way responsible for the large expenditure
of money last year The payment of over $780,
600 for settling bad strikes ordered by the
General Assembly, and the general executive
board was not consulted in the matter at all. Not
only was the fund set apart for such purposes
thus expended. but $l5O.000 OF the general
fund went in the direction" Mr..
Litchman characterized the reports that the
order was going to pieces ridiculous and un-
true. I'VE getting hundreds of letters daily
from all sections of the country assuring that
the movement against the administration is get
ting foothold in other districts. Chicago and
Philadelphia the circles in which the move
mene IS strongest and if the order
to go all TO pieces those two places
the Knights of Labor would scarcely feel it. It
is but drop 1t the bucket" He then produced
records up to july showing that that date
there were 500. .982 mem oers in good standing in
the order. The number he estimates at
not less than 550, 900. in round figures. Since
July 663 new local assemblies have been organ
ized eleven ELAPSED locals have been reorgan-
ized aud over ], 600 have been reiustated.